VCB quiescing Exchange

[Robert_M]

I just built a new vm running 2003 Standard and Exchange 2003 Standard. I am setting up VCB to backup the VM.

I have added the two scripts: pre-freeze-script.bat and post-thaw-script.bat to C:\Windows.

I added a line to the scripts that created a text doc so I could verify that the scripts were actually running.

I ran VCB on the machine and sure enough both scripts ran and both scripts created the text files. However, both text files were created at 4:12 pm (less than 1 min apart).

Keep in mind that this is a new server with no users using it yet, so not very busy...

My questions are:

1) Could both scripts and the snapshot both have run in less than 1 minute?

2) Am I using the correct scripts?

3) What else am I missing?

Here is the pre-freeze:

ECHO freeze >c:\aFreeze.txt

@echo off

Net Stop MsExchangeSA /Y

Here is the post-thaw:

ECHO thaw >c:\aThaw.txt

@echo off

Net Start MsExchangeSA

Net Start MsExchangeIS

Net Start MsExchangeMTA

[polysulfide · Accepted solution]

Yes, here is what is happening.

Pre script prepares the system for snapshot.

VCB creates the snapshot

Post script returns the system to functionality

System returns to normal function

VCB backups up the snapshot

VCB releaseses the snapshot

If you look at it this way you can see that the post script doesn't wait for the backup to finish, it just waits for the snap to be created. 1 min is probably enough time to stop the service on an unused exchange server and create a snap.

Have you tested a restore?

If it was useful, give me credit

Jason White - VCP

[Robert_M]

Thanks for the quick reply.

No I have not tested a restore yet - I just did the first VCB backup of the new vm yesterday - but you are right in suggesting it. I will do a test restore ASAP.

How about my scripts? Am I stopping and starting the right services?

Thanks...

[polysulfide]

I'm sorry I don't know the short names of the services right off the top of my head.

You should only need to stop the Information Store service. You should then start it and any other services which terminate after stopping it. You could start all the exchange services for good measure.

You can run a program like exchange loadgen against your server while you make a backup to see how that changes things. I don't recommend doing that with your prod environment because loadgen creates an obnoxious amount of users and such, really makes a mess. It would be a good test though.

Also just me being nosey and putting in my 2 cents... Did you align the NTFS partitions you're keeping your stores on and format them with an appropriate cluster size for the DB files? This can make a huge performance difference.

IE:

diskpart> create partition primary align=64

diskpart> assign letter=g:

Format g: with 64k clusters.

If it was useful, give me credit

Jason White - VCP